The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1887-05-23
II IL Evident That the thurch 1.
Divided into Northern and
and southern Assemblies.
II - Apart ON Principles and
Diners ~ Materially Ihat
tniou j. Impossible.



ST LorI~ MAY 23 In tie South
crn Presbytctiqu assembly this morn
ing the committee on organila, ion.
union or other ro ations
with 'hc Presbyterian church of the
United StAtc- pr. ~moot, Chairman
-prc-cutcd three reports. The COM
mtt,c l- COMPOSED of twenty six
mmbcr-. sixteen otwhom made he
majority report, nine minority re-.
port and one minimum minority
report. IIo majority report recon-
mcNIr Tho appointment ot % commit,
tee to hc comp -cd oi five ministers
live ruling older, aud "a moderator OF
the assembly To coulcr with "a simlat
committ,o from the other assembly
and con idcr the whole ,ubioctuftho
committee. and report Mt the next
general assembly. This committee t.
instructed TO take aud maintain the
following position:
"Iho acceptance ot thc common
STANDARD of the church confession of
faith and the longer nnd shorter cate
ChHm does not, III our miud-. form
sufficient ba-i- oi union but the ac-
rrpinnco of that peculiar intcrprcta.
tiOn of our standard which sllirma
aud emphasizes Christ's kingdom and
torbids Ter I,gislating upon politics
or evil matters, on the same basis Of
the union. And further we insist
that the colorrd brethren within our
bounds shall bc organized into scpa-
rate congregations, pfc-by tcrlcs anG
| svuods
Dr. SmOOt said, We are OF tho
opinion that tho difficulties in the way
OF union ARE 40 numerous and OF 40
serious u nature that they cannot be
overcome. They arise mainly out of
the mct that two churches are not
agreed N matters of either principle
or politics The plcn that the 'wo have
the saHc confession OF hlth may bc
fu " met b. the simple .tttcmen I'll at
evan @cllcHl denominations have the
same protestant bihlr, but the differ
cnCc in one ca-c ~ IN others arises out
OF Interpretation or the tcachirg OF
the book. SO the separate existence
oi the southern church i- ~ much de-
mandcd because OF wide difference OF
Interpretation Of language of that
confession of faith IN matters. doc
/ trinc aud government M the SCI iarato
/ existence of other denominations o
/ chri tihu- is demanded because thcy
are not sufficiently agreed IN their
cs'cu'iAl tcncts TO convert into
/ one orgauilcd body. 80 suggestion
has been nHdc or IN opinion OF those
signing the paprr can he madr for
the removal Of this most serious OBJ
-iaclc which meets Us ~ the very
opcnng of his question. 10 unite
or attempt 10 unite the two churches
tr any compromise Of fundamental
differences or upon any general state
mGnt such a. the reception Of tan.
dard Pure and Simple tended sovor-
aIy 10 bring together those who
could not act In harmony and would
Icrptiuatc rife and alienation.
These conclusions have been reached
by us aitcr iull and careful oXamina,
ton Of the whole question in tho
liRhl Of nll the papers submitted for
our consideration. Discussion OF the
question for somt time past by nurtn
hud south made it equally manifest
that further agitation of this question
would binder the progress, weaken
the efficiency and cndangcr the unity
Of our own church
Tho minimum minority report Of
| ~ Par dit-cnts from the position Of
the majority aud shys the union of
the great bodie. of the Prcsbytcriaus
would make too large II body and its
entertainment would bo AN intolera-
/ bic burden on the churches where tho
meetings should be held. Tho union
would produce dlsmcmbermcnt OF
tine southern church-largo numbers
OF influential members OF the latter
bong radically opposed 20 such ac.
ton, Tho assembly should solicit
expressions from every presbytcry
before taking action ON tho question
I'm hand.